Do Orang Asli Have To Fight For What Is Rightfully Theirs?

With so much bluster during the Umno Assembly about Malay rights etc etc, have the bleeding heart patriots in our country conveniently forgotten about the genuine original inhabitants of Malaysia, the Orang Asli?

Why do they now have to go on protest marches to obtain what is their rightful due? If any people have a bigger right than that claimed by the Malays, it is the Orang Asli, whether the Umnoputras and other assorted bumiputras agree or not. In their heart of hearts they very well know the historical reality and truth. It is shameful that we, professing to be a 'model' democratic nation and touted as an example to be emulated have downgraded, marginalized and silenced the original inhabitants of Malaysia.

Imagine how unfair it must be to them, that some Johan-come-lately occupies the driver's seat claiming primacy and supremacy while they are deprived of even their basic right to their land! And we are ironically in the forefront in the international effort to end racism!! Read about their plight in this NST report:

"Don’t neglect us." This was the message of about 100 Orang Asli who joined a procession yesterday to mark the 58th International Human Rights Day.

They came from all over the peninsula, and by 7am had gathered at Dataran Merdeka here to join the procession, part of the Festival of Rights 2006 co-organised by the Malaysian Bar Council.

The Orang Asli walked as they wanted the right to their heritage land (tanah adat).

"This is our basic right and it is still being neglected," said Peninsular Malaysia Orang Asli Association (POASM) president Majid Suhut.

Some Orang Asli families have lived on their heritage land for generations, yet this fact was not recognised by the state governments, he said.

Since the families could not produce land titles, they were known as tenants-at-will. The land was also usually considered state land.

"This means we do not feel secure in our own traditional villages as the state government can order us to move elsewhere," said Majid.

He added that when land was acquired by the government, the compensation given to the Orang Asli was never based on the value of the land.

"Rather, it is based on the value of the house or the trees that are on the land."

About 300 people, led by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk M. Kayveas and Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh, walked from Dataran Merdeka to Jalan Parlimen before stopping at Panggung Anniversari in Lake Gardens, where they took a human rights pledge.

Others who took part in the procession were the Falun Dafa group in Malaysia, the Good Shepherd’s Sisters justice and peace committee, and Parti Keadilan Selangor.

Yeo said Malaysia had a number of human rights issues, including children’s rights and gender issues, which should be dealt with as soon as possible.

The National Human Rights Society of Malaysia and the pro-tem committee of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Society were the other organisers.

***** Frankly, you the reader please tell us. Have we been fair to the Orang Asli?
Picture Source: Dustin DeKoekkoek's photos (Flickr)